Looking For a Happily Ever After
by ZiggiStarr
Summary: Being Royal was very easy when the promise is a happy ending, but for Duchess it wasn't like that. She was different, didn't fit with the rest of the Princesses. She was not going to marry a handsome prince or live in an enchanted castle. But inside she believed that it could be change, happiness could be anywhere even in front her. All she has to do is notice it.


Duchess was in the Red Shoes Studio, because she had taken her respective dance class, which goes further saying that it was part of her destiny, ballet was her lifestyle.

It required discipline and sacrifice, not anyone could carry it out and much less anyone could aspire to be better than her, not even Justine Dancer, who was also destined to be a dancer and a princess just like the next Odette. Only that Duchess of course considered her inferior, since from her point of view she did not invest so much time in practicing while she locked herself in the study practicing and practicing without leaving until the steps that seemed more difficult were exhausted or improved, while that other people did other types of idleness.

As long as Duchess remember, she aspired to the top, she never liked incomplete things or staying in the background. She considered that there was nothing better than being born in a Royal family. For that reason she struggled every day to be the best princess she could be, at least academically.

When no one was watching Duchess took the shoes from Justine's bag and exchanged them for exactly the same but they had been bewitched by her best friend Faybelle, they would make Justine dance like she had two left feet. She looked forward to the next class to see her make a fool of herself, it would be very funny.

Once she made her ruse she left the studio, because the class was over, she went through the Music room and could not help hearing a sound coming from there. It sounded like a guitar, came a little closer because Duchess was curious. In fact it was a guitar however it did not sound like a usual melody, that is to say it was much more sophisticated and complex besides it had a classic style. As she moved down the hall the sound became clearer, until she saw herself in front of the door that was narrowed. Duchess does not usually have the doubt so she did not think much and with a little push opened the door.

There he was, sitting on his back in the direction of the door, on Professor Piper's desk. Duchess advanced silently so as not to interrupt him. Sparrow was performing a piece similar to that of that time at lunchtime, but this was certainly at another level.

It was a slow and calm rhythm, then he stopped playing for a moment, letting the last note sound reverberating on the walls of the empty classroom until it disappeared by itself. He left a brief silence for a few seconds. Suddenly he resumed the piece by changing the rhythm completely to one much faster than the previous one. With great skill he made the changes in the neck of the guitar as well as played the strings in the part of the soundboard. Until he finished his interpretation.

"I had no idea you played that way, that was bewitching!" She said clapping sincerely.

"What the fu..." Sparow thought he was alone. "I mean ... How long were you back there?"

"Enough, I suppose," she said. "I would never have imagined that you would play something like that or even grab a non-electric guitar." She said pointing to the pretty black guitar that rested on the boy's lap.

"Acoustic," he said, "is an acoustic guitar." And well, in my opinion a good musician should understand several styles of music and know how to perform them.

Duchess was feeling some intrigue as it is as if she was discovering the dark side of the moon. "I see, and what were you playing?"

The young musician raised an eyebrow as he was baffled. "Since when are you interested in what I play?"

"I don't know, this time you were playing something decent, not just noise like you usually do." Duchess said without any hint of touch.

"It's a prelude," he replied after a small silence. "Which is the same as what an overture in ballet would be." It is called "The Cathedral" by Nitsuga Mangoré.

"What would be an introduction to the centerpiece," she added happily as that proved that Sparrow really paid attention to what she had come to talk with him. She didn't know that he paid more attention than he thought convenient.

"_Exactamoundo_. Wow, that's very valuable coming from someone who had always told me that my music sounded like I was torturing my guitar." Sparrow said smiling.

Duchess felt a little sorry, tried to hide it by looking away and accommodating a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"Don't worry," he said notice that he had made her feel uncomfortable. "That's what I like about you, you say what you think and that's it."

"Well ..." Duchess looked toward the door to verify that there was no one around. "What I think is that this piece was really beautiful." This time she made a sincere smile which made Sparrow a little nervous.

Sparrow wasn't the only one who was restless, Duchess felt something she wasn't sure how to define, Warmth? Empathy? Rare ideas roamed her mind as she watched him more closely than she had ever done. She found it attractive, more than she really wanted to admit, it was different, although a bit disheveled but that was arranged, it was nothing serious. Both were looking into each other's eyes without saying anything.

_"If only he were a prince."_ she thought frustrated clenching her hand in a fist in an attempt to give way to those mixed feelings.

"Thank you," he said, breaking the ice at once. "What is your next class?" He asked, changing the subject radically.

"General Villainy," she replied, trying to ignore that strange feeling she had felt just now.

"Oh, mine too."

"Yes, we'd better go." Said the shoulder strap of his purse on his shoulder.

They set out for their next class. They walked side by side through the corridors talking about trivial things, Duchess felt quite comfortable, as if she forgot her bitter situation of being trapped in an unhappy ending with no apparent way out. Everything was going great until Duchess suddenly fell silent and stopped her pace.

"What's going on?" Sparrow asked, stopping him too and turning to her, for she had stayed behind. The girl reached him and stood behind him as if she was hiding from something ... Or someone.

"Oh my Grimm!" She cried in a low voice, "There he is," she pointed shyly to the opposite extreme, where Daring Charming was. He was in his locker admiring his reflection in a mirror that he had placed inside the door of the latter. Sparrow rolled his eyes in annoyance was a subtle way to return to the real world. "Got damn! I'm not presentable, let's go elsewhere!"

"No!"He firmly opposed "If you want a new destiny as much as you say, then you have to face it. Stop thinking and go for it!" She was still very insecure then Sparrow laid her hands on the girl's shoulders. "First of all you should get his attention, Come on, you can do it." he said in a sweet tone that Duchess seemed to comfort her.

"B-but, what feathers do I say?! H-how do I look? Do I look good?" He stared into those light brown eyes.

"You look beautiful," Sparrow said from the bottom of his heart, all hurt. The way he said it was very blunt; without hesitation, or detours and as if it were an absolute truth. These words gave her the security she needed, so he gave a little push. "Just go and tell him something nice," he suggested.

That push helped her to take initiative, she was going to where was the prince of her dreams to which she had dedicated a lot of pages in her diary. Duchess was very nervous she felt that the floor was rocking under her feet like a deck of a ship in the open sea would do, although she had her goal very clear.

Sparrow watched with bitterness as his beloved looked for another guy incentivized by himself, clenched his fists in an attempt to contain jealousy, wanted to leave but his sense of duty was stronger, he had to stay to make sure she had a successful approach as the best friend forever after as he was.

Just when Duchess was about three quarters of her goal out of nowhere came her main obstacle between her and her happy ending.

Apple who was with Briar passed by to go to her next class. She stopped when she saw that her prince was there, she said something to her friend's ear and she passed by saying goodbye with her hand, Apple stayed behind, with stealth she approached Daring by the back without realizing it , because he was very focused on the beauty of his reflection. With her index finger she gave him a couple of touches on his shoulder to get his attention, when he turned around she threw herself on him wrapping him in a tender hug, her pale arms circling the blond prince's neck. It was not what he expected but he was satisfied, so he responded with a radiant smile that gave a small flash, fortunately Apple closed his eyes on time.

"Why is this adorable ambush?" Daring asked surrounding her thin body with his arms. Apple instead of giving him an answer just stopped on tiptoe to intertwine his lips with Daring's, he progressively slid his hands down her back until he reached his waist.

Duchess who, just a few moments ago, was more determined than ever to talk to him like that crush delighted had remained motionless like the gargoyle statues that adorned some of the school's balconies. She felt a cold from inside and a heaviness, she would describe it as a black hole that drained her damn patience.

Sparrow who watched everything hit his forehead with the palm of his hand and dragged it to cover his mouth. He felt terrible, he felt he was to blame, if he hadn't insisted so much none of that would have happened.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'll charm you after school." She whispered seductively once she broke into a kiss. Daring's legs were shaking no matter how hard he was trying to tell her something, whatever it was for the Fairy Godmother sake! Daring didn't get it, as if his voice had stuck or something similar, it didn't come out of his throat. She was sliding her thumb on his cheek caressing it, he could feel her bust was reloaded on his chest doing some pressure, because her princess was shorter in stature it was inevitable that he looked down so he could see a line that peeked over her tight red dress equivalent to the color in which her cheeks were dyed.

Apple continued on its way and he watched as she left until she had to change the corridor. The bell rang making it possible to get out of that mini trance in which he had submerged. When he realized that he would be late for his class, he went quickly.

Apple wanted to make him know how important he was in her life. She had been so fucused trying to convince Raven sign the Storybook Of Leyends that she wasn't paying him enough attemption. She wanted more than anything in the whole world maker their happy ending come true.

Everything had a motive, a very important one, it was something bigger than her and him together because it had to do with stories. Apple believed that things would fall under its own weight and she just wanted to ensure that they fell in the right place, which was to protect the existence of a fantastic world as much as they don't know. Things were fine as they were, so they worked for years, although she understood Raven's distaste for her destiny, there was not much to do from the perspective of the Royal leader. Destiny was above anyone, always had been that way.

Sparrow was running after Duchess to see how she was. She walked crestfallen with slow steps.

"Duchess! Duchess!" He continued without receiving an answer until he reached her. He stood before her to stop her, gently took her chin and raised her face to see her because her black bangs prevented him.

She had crystalline eyes but in turn he noticed that they were devoid of all brightness, had a lost look somewhere and was empty like a bottomless pit. Duchess gave him a sharp swipe to take Sparrow's hand away.

"E-em ... are you alright?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yes," she replied sharply and resumed her journey. Sparrow walked behind her without saying anything. "If you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you stopped following me." She expressed with obvious anger. It wasn't to him, all that she wanted was to have a Happily Ever After like Apple, but it wasn't part of her destiny and it hurts her in a indescriptible way.

"It's not like I'm following you." He excused himself "I'm also going to General Villainy class. Remember?" He scratched his neck trying to look casual. Duchess didn't say anything and started to walk.

They both entered their class late.

**_The end._**

* * *

**Notes:**

Duchess is one of my favorite characters. She is so dramatic and sad. I like to write bittersweet things because I'm not so good with pure romance and she is perfect to protagonize dark and tragic stories.

While I explore a more serious and sensitive perspective of Sparrow, since he has feelings for his friend but does not say it because he knows that he is not what she is looking for.

About Daring and Apple, well I like to write them as a couple because they are so versatile in that way as indivudual characters. The can be sweet, tragic, romantic, superficial, sad, etc. At least I believe it.

In this time I use it to create a contrastc between two relationships.


End file.
